Love Hurts
by carrotcake11
Summary: Arthur knows Guinevere. More than anyone, and since the introduction of her new, somewhat sinister boyfriend, he notices a sharp change in her demeanour. Eager to help, he runs the risk of pushing her further away.  Currently on Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

AN: I was really reluctant to start to this story, partly because it involves a controversial subject and partly because I haven't finished my other story _(which I will. I promise, I do feel it's gone off track, and my desire to write it has died, but I will continue_), but mostly because it involves a controversial subject, abuse. I'm rating it T, but if you think it'd be more suited to M, please say. I don't want to offend anyone or anything like that. Anyway. I really had this idea in my head, because I had a life-skills lesson on abusive relationships and it really made me think about how it's rarely touched on in books and the media etc, and maybe writing a fanfic about it is a little far-fetched... but the idea just wouldn't leave. Anyway, here's the first chapter. I don't foresee this being a long story, but we'll see.

Some background info:

_-This story is going to be intentionally ambiguous._

- Arthur, Merlin and Gwen are good friends, and have been for a while. Arthur has a crush on Gwen. Gwen's dating David. Other characters include Lancelot, Leon, Gwaine and Elyan. The characters are about 19-21... and are all studying at the same University. I think that's it. Everything else should make sense as you read the story.

**Chapter 1.**

Morgana walked into the living room, a tired smile on her face as she spied her brother stalking through Guinevere's Facebook on his laptop. He'd obviously thought he was alone and was free to rile through the many profile pictures of Gwen without his privacy being interrupted. Unfortunately, he'd been wrong. Morgana slowly approached him, walking on her tip-toes, treading softly, trying her best not to make a sound as Arthur continued staring at the photographs of Gwen, oblivious to his sister's advances. Morgan slowly raised her hand up, pressing it down hard on his shoulder. He jerked quickly, closing his laptop as he turned around to see his sister, who now had a wicked grin on her face. Arthur rolled his eyes, sighing heavily.

"Can I not get any privacy around here?" He says, agitated, as he begins picking up his things before slowly making his way out the living room.

"I saw whose Facebook page you were on." Morgana says, prompting her brother to stop in his tracks. He slowly turns around, an unconvinced look on his face.

"Really." He replies, trying not to go give much away. Morgana smiles back at him before slumping on the sofa, her hand digging underneath the cushion in attempt to find the remote.

"Really. Don't worry, I won't tell Gwen of your slightly creepy obsession with her." She says, a smug look on her face as she switches on the television, making herself comfortable.

"I'm not obsessed with her." Arthur replies, a defensive tone to his voice.

"Whatever you say, I guess you won't mind me telling her that I accidentally caught you staring lustfully at her profile pictures then?"

"I was worried about her." Morgana laughs, much to Arthur's annoyance. "I was!"

"And... so staring at pictures of her face was to help ease your worry?" Morgana continues before Arthur can answer. "Anyway, why are you worried about her? She's fine."

"I don't like her boyfriend." Arthur says slowly, as he stares down at his feet.

"It's a good thing you're not dating him then." Morgana replies dryly. Arthur rolls his eyes, exasperated at her smarmy replies.

"No, I mean I really don't like him. I-"

"Whatever, Arthur. I was only teasing. I'm not actually going to tell Gwen. There's nothing wrong with having a harmless crush on her." Morgana says, clearly losing interest in the conversation, her attention now geared towards one of her many programmes displayed on the TV.

"I think he's abusing her." Arthur says, his voice dry. His sister quickly turns to face him, a shocked look engraved on her face.

"What?"

"I think he's abusing her. You heard me." Arthur says, his voice more confident this time.

"Arthur, do you realise what you're saying? You're accusing David of abusing Guinevere. What on earth gave you that idea?" Morgana says, baffled at her brother's words.

"Gwen's suddenly got a lot of bruises as of late." Arthur says matter of factly. His grip on his laptop tightening, a nervous edge to to his stance.

"She fell down the stairs-"

"What, and you actually believe that tripe?" Arthur says, his anger growing.

"David's abusing her. I know it."

"Do you actually have any proof? Have you seen him touch her? Raise a finger to her? Shout at her? Threaten her? Have you, Arthur?" Morgana leaves the sofa, approaching her Arthur, who is now rubbing his fingers softly on his face.

"It's the way he looks at her." Arthur pauses. "Like he owns her, like she's his toy-"

"Arthur, he's just protective of her. He loves her." Arthur shakes his head at Morgana's retort, unconvinced at her explanation.

"No. No, it's more than that. He's infatuated with her. It's controlling. He scares me. Whenever Gwen's around him, she's quiet, sad, she's not herself. I know Gwen, and when she's with him, she's not being the Gwen I know. She's... different." Arthur says, his face solemn. Morgana studies him, a confused look on her face. She shakes her head, unable to comprehend Arthur's words.

"Arthur, I think you might be a little jealous."

"I'm not jealous."

"David is a nice guy. Guinevere's 19, she's not a kid. She wouldn't stay in an abusive relationship."

"She would, if she didn't know she was being abused." Arthur persists, his tone cold.

"I don't want to hear any more of this, Arthur. Don't let your silly crush cloud your better judgement. David is one of our mutual friends. Lancelot's friends with him, so's Gwaine and Leon. They're fine with the relationship, you're the only one who seems to have a problem with all this. Which is understandable, because you're the only one with an unhealthy crush on Guinevere. You're jealous. That's fine, I get it, but please, don't make sick accusations. It's pathetic!" Morgana says, the venom in her voice growing as she shouts at Arthur. She quickly walks out of the living room, a disgusted look on her face. Arthur stands still on the spot. He sighs briefly. Struggling to control his frustration, he smashes his laptop on the ground, the pieces flying across the room.

* * *

><p>"You never told me why Morgana isn't talking to you." Gwen says smiling as she steals a chip from Arthur's plate. They're at one of the restaurants in Gwen's university and Arthur had insisted on fish and chips, regardless of the numerous times Guinevere tried to remind him she was on a diet.<p>

"I spilled coke on her dress." Arthur lies, as he playfully tries to grab the chip out of Gwen's hand before she shoves in her mouth, laughing.

"Really? And that's why she's ignoring you?" Gwen says, her mouth full as she frowns.

"You know Morgana, ever the dramatic." Arthur continues, placing a chip in his mouth. He watches as Guinevere takes her phone out to read a text. A worried look plagues her face shortly after.

"What's up?" Arthur questions, as he straightens up on his seat.

"It's David. I have to go." Gwen picks up her bag, as she makes to leave.

"We're meant to be having lunch, Gwen." Arthur's unimpressed by her hasty exit.

"Sorry. It's important." Gwen places her scarf round her neck as she quickly places a kiss on Arthur's cheek. "I'll call you!" She hurries out, leaving Arthur alone. A large plate of Fish and Chips in front of him. He bangs the table, annoyed.

* * *

><p>David had been waiting impatiently for Guinevere's arrival. She was 10 minutes late, and David didn't like it. He took a drag from his cigarette, dropping it quickly as he noticed Gwen running up to him. She hates it when he smokes.<p>

"You're late." He replies dryly.

"Sorry."

"Where were you?" David raises his hand up to Guinevere's face as he pulls a strand of hair behind her ears. He hates her hair down.

"With Arthur." Gwen replies reluctantly.

"Oh." David's hand slowly falls on top of hers, his grip wrapped around her wrist.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I just don't like him." David says, as his grip round her wrist tightens a little. Gwen smiles at him nervously.

"He's not that bad." She retorts, her voice weak.

"I don't want you seeing him. I don't like the way he looks at you." David says, his thumb now caressing her wrist as his eyes turn cold.

"Arthur's one of my best friends."

"So, he's more important than me?" His tone is harsh.

"I didn't say that."

"Good. Then you'll stop seeing him. Alone, at least. I don't want you alone with him, okay?"

Gwen nods, as David pulls her closer to him. They embrace.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thanks for the encouraging reviews. Here's chapter 2. I hope you enjoy it... it's mostly just building things up and helping you get a better feel of the characters and their relationships. Feedback is always appreciated. Sorry for any typos, I did a really quick proof-read.**

**Chapter 2**

Arthur was sitting down at their favourite cafe waiting impatiently for his two best friends to arrive. He wasn't too hopeful with regards to Gwen actually turning up, but was unpleasantly surprised to find that he'd been waiting for Merlin's arrival for the past 15 minutes. Merlin was never late. Ever.

Arthur sighed heavily, taking his phone out from his pocket as he glanced at the time before biting his nails. He was starting to look like a loner. Arthur Pendragon was not a loner, in fact, he was anything but. He was the son of Uther Pendragon, an Oxford History Lecturer with amazing credentials; he even has his own show on BBC 2. Arthur had spent his life trying to veer away from his father's path. Despite his father's wish for him to study History at Oxford, he decided to undergo a Literature degree. It was this bold choice that led him to Guinevere. He can remember the first time he met Guinevere, it wasn't a meeting of immediate friendship, though it did show a lot of promise. They'd been friends for a year now, and Arthur just couldn't imagine his life without her. He was protective of her, but not in a controlling way, in a loving way. He wanted her to be her, not to change for anyone, not to try impress anyone, to be happy with who she was, though oftentimes, Gwen didn't need Arthur's protection. In fact, Arthur's overprotective nature was seemingly wasted on Guinevere as she could always hold her own, was always sure of herself. Her independent nature was one of the many things Arthur loved about her, not to mention her curly mane of hair, her infectious laugh, and her acerbic wit.

Merlin walked into the cafe, an apologetic grin on his face, he took the seat opposite Arthur as he began taking off his jacket, making himself comfortable.

"I was thinking, maybe we should watch Twilight for _'bad movie Friday night_'" Merlin says, in an attempt to break the awkward silence, shoving a croissant in his mouth.

"It's Gwen's turn to decide what we watch." Arthur replies as he also takes a bite from his croissant, frowning at Merlin's suggestion.

"Oh, speaking of Gwen. I just saw her-"

"Really? Is she okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't she be? Anyway, she said she's bringing David along." Merlin continues, his tone casual as he continues devouring the croissant, his face covered in crumbs.

"David along to what?" Arthur's voice turns cold.

"To_'bad movie Friday night_'." Merlin continues, oblivious to the change in Arthur's demeanour.

"But, _'bad movie Friday night'_ is what _we_ do. Just you, me and Gwen."

"I know. I thought that too, but she insisted." Merlin pauses as he takes the last bite from his croissant. "She said we could all bring dates. Make it _'bad movie Friday date night'_."

"And break a year of tradition?" Arthur struggles to hide his frustration.

"It's probably just going to be a one off. My biggest concern is who to bring... I still haven't plucked up the courage to speak to Freya, I think she thinks I'm weird." Merlin says, now playing with his iPhone. Arthur rolls his eyes at his best friend. How could be okay with this? Gwen wants to bring her boyfriend to_'bad movie Friday night_'._'We don't even let Morgana come',_ Arthur thought to himself.

"Who are you going to bring?" Merlin interrupts Arthur's train of thought.

"I don't know.. Gwaine, maybe." Arthur says, still not at all keen at the idea.

"I was thinking someone more... female, but if it's Gwaine your heart desires..." Merlin replies jokingly. Arthur doesn't laugh.

"Did Gwen say why she couldn't meet us for lunch?" He asks Merlin, as he begins packing his things into his bag.

"She's at the library, studying."

"Is David with her?"

Merlin shrugs, unable to answer Arthur's question.

"I'll see you later." Arthur murmurs, placing his bag over his shoulder as he exits the cafe making his way to the library.

* * *

><p>Gwen was sitting down, her books sprayed in front of her as she stared into his space, her mind empty. She'd been so tired recently and for the life of her, couldn't figure out why. She shook herself out of her daze, picking up her pen in an attempt to get some work done. The pen hovered in her hand, as she remained unable to put pen to paper. He thoughts wondered to David. She'd began questioning her feelings for David as of late, and it worried her. She loved David, at least she thought she did. Why wouldn't she love him? He cared for her, he wanted her to be safe, happy, satisfied... but he hated Arthur. He hated her best friend, and it was beginning to bother her, not greatly, but enough to make her think.<p>

"Why didn't you come for lunch?" Arthur's voice startled her. She looked up to stare at him, clutching her chest in shock.

"Arthur, you frightened me." She whispers angrily, before hitting him playfully on the arm. Arthur feigns hurt, as he takes the seat next to her, a smile on his face.

"Well... why didn't you come for lunch?"

"Wasn't hungry." Gwen replies, placing her pen in her mouth as she begins chewing it. Arthur frowns at her, grabbing the pen out of her mouth, as she struggles to reach high enough to retrieve it back from him. Arthur laughs at her feeble attempts.

"I've missed teasing you." He says, as he eventually returns her pen back to her. She smiles softly at him.

"You can tease me tomorrow night."

"Not really, David will be there." Arthur retorts.

"That doesn't mean _we_ can't have fun together."

"Well, you've turned it into a date-night thing, so there'll be 3 other people there, excluding Merlin. We barely spend time together anymore." Gwen smiles at Arthur's affectionate reply.

"It's just, I want to make things work with David."

"When I was dating Vivian, I always made time for you and Merlin." Arthur says, now playing with his fingers.

"And look how that relationship turned out. She dumped you via Facebook."

"Only because I said her mother was hotter than her." They both burst into a fit of nostalgic laughter.

"I still don't get why you ever dated Vivian."

"Neither do I." Arthur says, still laughing. His blue eyes locked with Gwen's.

"She always made you make her tea-"

"-two sugars-"

"-3 spoons of milk, stir three times-"

"-and leave to stand for 3 minutes. Not a second less or more." Arthur finishes, unable to control his laughter. He always laughs when he's with Guinevere. Once she starts, he's unable to stop.

"No, really. What were you thinking when you asked her out?" Gwen says, sighing heavily after her fit of laughter.

"I don't know..." Arthur pauses, reluctant to tell Gwen the truth. "I was trying to make someone jealous." He lets out, his eyes penetrating Guinevere's. She looks away.

"Who were you trying to make jealous?"

"No one. I can't remember now." Arthur replies quickly. Gwen stares at him, unconvinced.

A hand presses on Guinevere's shoulder, prompting her to turn around. Her smile is quickly replaced with a blank stare.

"David." She says softly. Arthur turns to see David, rolling his eyes.

"We were having a conversation." Arthur says coldly, David stares at him, seemingly not bothered by Arthur's presence.

"Really. Well, if you don't mind. I'd like to speak with my girlfriend." David replies, a smug smile on his face, as he places his hand on Guinevere's.

"You don't own her." Arthur's voice gets stronger, as he stands up edging closer to David.

"Arthur, sit down." Arthur's head drops to face Guinevere, as she speaks at him through gritted teeth.

"What? We were having a conversation. It was rude of him to interrupt." His face quickly returns back to David, as he begins eyeing him.

"Listen, pretty boy. I don't know what you're problem is, but Guinevere is my girlfriend. I have every right to want to talk to her. I don't need your permission."

"Really." Arthur says, as he struggles to contain his anger.

"Really."

"Arthur, please just go. I'll see you tomorrow, we can talk then." Gwen smiles softly at Arthur, as his anger begins to soften.

"Fine." Arthur walks out, leaving Gwen and David alone.

* * *

><p>"You're going to be my date." Arthur says to Gwaine, as he pushes their trolley around the shopping center.<p>

"Is that why you dragged me out on this impromptu shopping spree, so you could pluck the courage to ask me out on a date?" Gwaine says dryly.

"Partly. It's also my turn to do the grocery shopping, and I usually have no idea what to get. I thought you could help me."

"Yes, because I'm really the epitome of a domestic goddess, aren't I?" Arthur laughs at Gwaine's sarcastic reply.

"You _are _going to be my date though, you have no choice in that."

"I had no idea you felt this way, Arthur." Gwaine says, stopping in the confectionery aisle to pick up a bag of Maltesers, placing it in the trolley.

"Ha-Ha. If I had it my way, I wouldn't even be needing a date. Stupid David convinced Gwen that bringing dates to _'bad movie Friday night'_ would be a good idea." Arthur says, as he takes the bag of Maltesers out of the trolley, placing it back on the shelf.

"It's not the worst idea on the planet..."

"Yes, well... why change the format? If it aint broke-"

"David's her boyfriend. It's normal that she'd want to spend more time with him." Gwaine says, his voice serious.

"I know, but-" Arthur struggles to articulate his thoughts.

"-But what?"

"I don't now. I just don't like him. I can't explain it, there's something about him."

"You're letting your feelings for Guinevere cloud your judgement."

"Don't say that. I'm not. I wouldn't do that." Arthur says defensively. They begin queuing behind a cashier.

"Then what _is_ your problem?" Gwaine says, confused at Arthur's behaviour.

"Let's put it like this. If Gwen was dating Lancelot, I'd be jealous, but I wouldn't hate the guy." Arthur pauses, as he begins putting items onto the conveyor belt. "I know Lancelot's a good guy-"

"But you don't know David's a good guy, so you start a somewhat irrational vendetta against him?" Gwaine replies, still not understand him. Arthur sighs, frustrated.

"No. He doesn't seem like a good guy. He's not good for Guinevere, that's for sure. You have to trust me on this one, Gwaine."

"David's a friend of mine."

"I know, but so am I. You've known me longer. You trust me more. I wouldn't worry without good reason."

"If what you're saying is true, then Gwen will realise too, won't she?" Gwaine says, an optimistic smile on his face.

"Yes... well, I hope so." Arthur's face is solemn, as he continues placing his items on the conveyor belt.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thanks, once again, for the positive reviews. I wasn't expecting that. I'm doing quick updates for this story because I want to finish it before I end up neglecting it (and my other story.) Here's Chapter 3, it moves things along quite a bit, and is somewhat heavy**._(Note that Gwen's behaviour is MEANT to be OOC)._**Hope you enjoy it! Reviews are always appreciated.**

**Chapter 3**

Uther had been working in his office quietly when his son knocked softly on the door before allowing himself in. Uther looked up at him, an expectant smile on his face as he gestured towards the seat in front of him. Arthur smiled nervously at his father; he hated having to speak to him, it was always a slightly elaborate formal occasion. Even something as minuscule as asking if he'll be at home for the night required making an appointment.

"Well?" Uther says, putting his pen down in front of him, placing his hands underneath his chin as he waited patiently for his son to begin speaking.

"I was just wondering if you were going to be home tonight." Arthur says, playing with his fingers nervously. _'Please say no'_, he thought to himself.

"I'm afraid I won't be at home, I'm leaving for Wales tonight, actually. I thought Morgana would have told you." Uther says, taking a sip from his glass of red wine. He offers a glass to Arthur who declines.

"She didn't. Why are you going to Wales?" Arthur says, a little annoyed at his father's rather frequent trips away from home. As awkward as he found speaking to his father, he did like having him around. Arthur had never known his mother, and so regarded his father as a very important figure in his life, albeit a slightly intimidating figure.

"I have to shoot another documentary, Arthur. All part of the job." He pauses to take another sip, emptying his glass. "Anything else?" He asks, his attention slowly returning back to the work in front of him.

"No. Just that I'll be inviting a few friends round, to watch a film together, but you won't be home anyway, so I guess it doesn't really matter." Arthur says as he begins to leave his seat, smiling softly at his father before making his way out.

* * *

><p>"Gwen!" Arthur runs after Gwen, holding her copy of Paradise Lost in his hand. She stops in her tracks, smiling once she notices the book in Arthur's hand.<p>

"Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost that." Gwen says, hugging Arthur briefly.

"You left it at the lecture theater. You're always in a rush. I'm out breath trying to catch up with you!" Arthur says, laughing softly. They stare at each other for a moment, unsure of what to say.

"Well... I guess I'll be going then. I'm meeting David for lunch." Gwen breaks the silence, looking away from Arthur before placing the book in her handbag.

"Oh. Right. See you tonight, then." Arthur watches as she walks off, annoyed with himself. He kept doing that. _'Why do I keep doing that?'_ He couldn't help but get lost in her eyes, he was giving himself away, and it was beginning to frustrate him. He didn't want to have a crush on his best friend. He knew it would complicate things. He knew it would hurt to see her with other men, but she was just so wonderful, he couldn't help himself. The feelings of jealousy and loathing that filled within him whenever he heard the name of David was indescribable._'Why could no one else see it?'_ Why could no one else see that he was a controlling bastard, and that Guinevere could do much better? Arthur shook off his thoughts as he noticed Elyan, Leon and Gwaine approaching him. He forces a smile.

"Arthur, is tonight still on?" Gwaine asks, as he punches Arthur softly on his shoulder.

"Yeah. It's still on." Arthur replies, watching as Leon and Elyan indicate that they're leaving.

"... And Gwen is still bringing David?" Gwaine asks, his tone reluctant.

"Yes." Arthur says, his voice blunt.

"Give him a chance, Arthur. Gwen's good for him. She's the only think keeping him sober."

"What do you mean 'sober'?" Arthur asks, a deep frown on his face.

"You know..."

"I know what?" Arthur's still confused.

"Oh great, so you don't know. Forget I said anything." Gwaine says, as he makes to leave.

"No. You can't just bring that up and go. What did you mean when you said 'sober'?" Arthur's persistent. Gwaine sighs, irritated at his friend.

"I meant that David had an alcohol problem... and a slight drug problem, but hes fine now. Thanks to Gwen."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me. Guinevere's dating a crack-headed drunk?" Arthur says, his tone filled with anger.

"No. She's dating an ex-crack-headed drunk. He's 3 months sober." Gwaine says, a little unconvinced by his own argument.

"And that makes it better, does it? He's even worse than that crazy Alvarr guy Morgana dated."

"Arthur, we all make mistakes. He's trying to put his right."

"I can't believe you're defending him. Am I the only person concerned for Guinevere's well-being?" Arthur continues, his anger building.

"Arthur, calm down. Of course we all care for Gwen's well-being. It's just, we don't feel we have any reason to be concerned. David's a friend-"

"-So you keep saying. But you're also forgetting that _I'm_ your friend." Arthur interjects, his anger still growing.

"David's a friend, and so are you, and so's Gwen. I can't take sides. I want you all to be happy. I know it's hard to accept, but Guinevere's happy with David."

"I'm not listening to this anymore, you're letting him win." Arthur walks away from Gwaine, unable to control his anger. Gwaine sighs heavily, struggling to understand his friend's feelings.

* * *

><p>Merlin had decided against bringing Freya, in fact he'd decided against the idea of bringing anyone, and so turned up to the Pendragon's residence solo. He pressed the door-bell, and was surprised to find Morgana on the other side of the door.<p>

"Morgana? You're not joining us for_'bad movie Friday date night_' too, are you?" Merlin says, taken aback by her presence. She'd usually be spending her Friday nights around the town with Vivian somewhere. Morgana and Gwen had drifted apart over the past year, and although the two were still good friends, seeing them actually spend time together at a social meet-up was a rare event.

"No, God no. Vivian's ill, so my plans for the night are cancelled. Don't worry, I won't disturb you. I'll be in my room... painting my nails or something." Morgana closes the door behind Merlin before making her way back upstairs.

Merlin slowly walks into the living room to find Arthur preparing large bowls of popcorn and a few other mini-snacks.

"Why don't you just order Pizza like everyone else?" Merlin says, smiling at Arthur.

"We're watching a film! It's gotta be popcorn." Arthur replies, chewing a popcorn, a goofy smile on his face. "Come on. Help me out, the other's will be here in a minute, and I still need to set the DVD up." Arthur throws a popcorn at Merlin, prompting his friend to give him a hand.

* * *

><p>"Why on earth would anyone watch this tripe?" Gwaine says, taking a couple of pop-corns from the bowl before passing it on, his eyes fixated on the film displayed on the screen.<p>

"It's just terrible." Merlin nods in agreement, he hands Gwen the bowl of popcorn.

"Bella is just a complete plank." Gwen also passes the bowl along.

"Plank? Don't insult all the planks out there." Arthur says, laughing. The bowl reaches David.

"Is this butter?" He asks, as he places one in his mouth, screwing his face with dissatisfaction.

"What? Do you not like butter?" Arthur says, his voice cold.

"No. I'm more of a toffee man. Don't you think toffee is better, Gwen?" David says, his hand placed on Guinevere's lap.

"I don't mind butter." She says softly. Arthur frowns.

"What are you talking about, Guinevere? You've always loved buttered popcorn." Arthur's voice grows even colder.

"Well, now she prefers toffee." David interrupts, his grip on Gwen's lap tightening. Arthur notices, his anger building.

"You're hurting her." He says, leaving his seat as he approaches David before pushing his hand off Guinevere's lap.

"Touch me one more time. Go on, I dare you." David stands up. Him and Arthur are now face to face, about to engage in a fist fight. Merlin stands up in an attempt to calm things down.

"Guys, stop. It's just popcorn. Is this really necessary?" He says, his voice confident. He glances at Guinevere, gesturing for her to help him remove the tension.

"Yeah. I like both flavours equally." Guinevere says, as she smiles at the two men fighting over her. The thought of two men vying for her affections would please any other girl, but not Gwen. Not when it was her boyfriend and her best friend.

"But you prefer toffee, don't you?" David's tone turns menacing, much to the surprise of Gwaine.

"Back off, David." He says, unimpressed by his behaviour. He notices Arthur giving him a knowing look.

"Keep out of this, Gwaine." David continues, walking over to Gwen as he grabs her hand pulling her up from the seat, his grip tight on her.

"Let go of her." Arthur says, struggling to contain his emotions. How could Guinevere let him do this to her? "Let go of her, now."

"Guinevere, do you want to leave?" David's grip around her tightens as he asks her the question, his tone still menacing. Gwen nods weakly, much to Arthur's despair. He's unable to look at her, the hurt in his heart growing. This wasn't the Guinevere he knew.

"You heard her, my girlfriend wants to go. You've upset her." David continues, his tone smug. He gives Arthur, Merlin and Gwaine a dirty look before walking out, dragging Guinevere with him.

Once they're gone, the three men stare worriedly at each other.

"I fear you were right, Arthur." Gwaine says, his voice soft. "His behaviour just then was... worrying. Disturbing, even."

"Do you think he's still using something?" Merlin asks, a worried tone to his voice. Arthur nods solemnly, before placing his hands softly on his face as he begins rubbing it.

"I hope not." Gwaine murmurs, hating himself for noticing his behaviour earlier.

"What do you think he's doing to her now?" Arthur asks, fearing the worst. The three young men all sigh exasperatedly, their thoughts now fully focused on the safety of Guinevere.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Once again, thanks for reviewing. Here's chapter 4. A bit of foul language, hope that's okay. Keep giving feedback. It's always encouraging.**

**Chapter 4**

"Arthur, do you want me to give you a lift? I'm leaving for Uni now." Morgana walks into Arthur's bedroom holding a piece of toast before taking a bite out of it. She watches, bemused, as her brother groans in his bed, barely awake. Laughing to herself, Morgana walks over to his bed, her eyes fixed on the cup of water on his bedside table. Picking it up, a mischievous grin on her face, she pours the contents over Arthur's head. He jerks up breathing heavily, an unimpressed frown on his face as he catches sight of his sister.

"What on earth was that for?" Arthur shrieks, wiping the water of his face.

"It's 11.00pm, you're going to be late for your seminar. I was going to offer you a lift, but seeing as you're not even dressed yet, you'd probably make me late." Morgana replies, taking another bite from her toast. She begins making her out, but is stopped by Arthur's voice just before she leaves his room.

"Morgana, have you spoken to Gwen recently?" Arthur says, standing up as he begins drying his hair with his towel.

"Gwen? Yeah, I saw her yesterday. Why?" Morgana asks, her tone inquisitive, as she frowns at her younger brother.

"Nothing." Arthur says, throwing his towel on his bed. Morgana doesn't budge. "Nothing, really. You can go now. I was just wondering." He says, an awkward smile on his face.

"There's something you're not telling me."

"I'm sure there's something you're not telling me either, but hey, I guess I'll never know." Arthur picks up a bottle of deodorant, spraying himself, before checking his hair in the mirror. He notices Morgana's unconvinced face in the reflection.

"Did you two have an argument?" Morgana persists.

"Something like that." Arthur pauses, putting on his jacket. "Is that lift still on offer?" He continues, in an attempt to change the subject.

"Arthur, you haven't even bathed." Morgana says, her face filled with disgust. Arthur stares at her, a _'so what?'_look on his face."And anyway, you're not getting a lift until you tell me what's going on between you and Gwen."

"Nothing is going on between me and Gwen. Now can we please go, I hate being late."

"You two totally had an argument." Morgana says, smiling.

"If believing that makes you happy, then yes, Gwen and I had an argument. Now let's go. We're going to be late." Arthur says, clearly frustrated as he barges past Morgana making his way out.

Morgana follows on after him, reluctant to drop the subject. Arthur races down the stairs, making his way briskly to the kitchen as he begins gulping down a carton of orange juice. He rolls his eyes as he realises his sister had been following him.

"What were you two arguing about?" Morgana continues, picking up her car-keys.

"I was lying. We didn't have an argument, not exactly anyway, it's just I haven't spoken to her since Friday night." Arthur lets out reluctantly in an attempt to get his sister off his case.

"Why not?"

"Well, for starters, she's not answering my phone calls-"

"She's got a new number." Morgana interrupts. "You're her best friend; I'd have thought you'd know a detail like that."

"Really? Well, she must have forgotten to tell me then." Arthur says, a frown on his face.

"Yeah, probably. She's been really busy the past few days. What with moving in with David and whatnot." Morgana says casually, before making her way out of the kitchen. Arthur stares, bewildered.

"What do you mean moving in with David?" Morgana stops in her tracks.

"Oh crap. I thought you knew." Morgana places a hand over a mouth, annoyed with herself for letting that slip.

"Well, if I don't know a simple detail like her changing phone numbers, I'm hardly going to know about her upping sticks and moving in with David, am I?" Arthur's voice begins to fill with anger.

Managing to contain his rage, he forces a smile as he gestures towards Morgana.

"Come on, let's go. Don't want to be late, do we?"

* * *

><p>Merlin is holding a box of Gwen's belongings, struggling to heave them down the flight of stairs. He pauses, a couple of steps away from the bottom, struggling to catch his breath. Gwen laughs at him.<p>

"It's not funny; I'm trying my best here." Merlin manages to carry the box down the stairs before he begins stretching his back, grimacing through the pain. "Where's the moving van anyway?" He takes a seat on the stairs, as he begins drinking the bottle of water Gwen hands him. "Also, you still haven't told me where you're moving to."

"I was worried you wouldn't take it well, and I didn't want you telling Arthur."

"You're not leaving the country, are you?" Merlin says, his blue eyes widen with alarm.

"No, God no." Gwen pauses to laugh. "No, it's not that extreme, don't worry."

"You're leaving Oxford?" Merlin asks, a worried look on his face.

"No, Merlin. I'm not leaving Oxford." Gwen says, smiling at her friend.

"Well it can't be that bad then, can it?" Merlin takes another gulp from his bottle of water.

"I'm moving in with David." In shock, Merlin spits out the contents in his mouth, a look of disbelief on his face. Gwen stares at him, worried.

"Is that a good _'water out of mouth'_ shock, or a bad one?" Guinevere asks, her voice reluctant.

"Well, It's not the best idea you've had." Merlin replies, frowning.

"We've been dating for quite a few months now, Merlin. It makes sense to move in." Merlin's unconvinced.

"Why not give it another few months?"

"I don't want David to think I'm not invested in the relationship."

"If he really loves you, he won't mind." Merlin continues, smiling at his best friend.

"It's not that simple, Merlin." Gwen takes a seat on the stairs next to him. They both stare into space, the silence taking over.

"I'm not sure how Arthur's going to take this." Merlin says, turning to face her.

"Please don't tell him. I'm waiting for the right moment." Gwen pauses, sighing heavily. "He still doesn't even have my new number... I'm just worried that he'll go crazy. It's obvious him and David don't get on. And even you and Gwaine have been cold towards David recently." Gwen says, also facing him.

"David's not the easiest person to talk to."

"I know, Merlin. I understand that-"

"He's also very... protective."

"That's because he cares."

"-I'd say it's borderline possessive, Gwen." Gwen rolls her eyes at Merlin's comment.

"You're beginning to sound like Arthur."

"Arthur cares about you, Gwen."

"I'm sure he does."

"He's just worried."

"He has no reason to be worried, Merlin. David is great. I couldn't ask for a better boyfriend." Gwen says, almost convincing herself.

"Last Friday, David's behaviour was a little strange." Merlin says, a little reluctantly.

"Arthur just winds him up.-" Gwen's sentence is cut short by the sound of the Moving Van pulling up outside. She gestures to Merlin that she's leaving, he nods. A look of worry still on his face as he wonders about his friend's state of mind.

* * *

><p>"You knew Gwen was moving in with that cunt, and you didn't tell me?" Arthur's shouting at Merlin, much to Merlin's despair.<p>

"I didn't know until today. Honestly, Arthur!" He screams back. Arthur frowns at Merlin, as he begins scanning his surroundings unsure of what to do next. His eyes widen with surprise as he spots Guinevere walking towards the library. Without thinking, he quickly runs after her, leaving his bag behind. Merlin watches as he goes, genuinely worried about Arthur's health.

* * *

><p>"Gwen! Gwen!" Arthur manages to catch up with Gwen; she turns around an uneasy smile on her face.<p>

"Arthur, what are you doing here?"

"I saw you walking to the library and I thought we could have a catch up. You don't mind, do you?" Arthur says, smiling.

"No, of course not." Gwen smiles back. "There are some chairs over there." Gwen points to the picnic tables outside a nearby cafe, the pair make their way over to them, making themselves comfortable.

"So, I haven't spoken to since last Friday, nearly a week. What's up?" Arthur says, his arms folded as he shivers in the cold.

"Nothing really. Just work. Lots of it." Gwen says laughing a little. Arthur's face turns serious.

"Will you just quit with the pretence, Gwen." He says, his voice cold.

"Sorry?"

"You're moving in with David. I know."

"Who told you? Was it Merlin? I told him not tell you." Guinevere sighs, frustrated.

"No, Morgana let it slip. You told Morgana. Morgana, but not me?" The hurt in Arthur's voice is evident.

"I knew you'd react like this."

"Oh, give me a break. We tell each other everything. Not telling me you had a new phone number, I can forgive. It's easy to forget. But moving in with your psychopathic boyfriend isn't something you just forget to tell someone." Arthur's voice raises, his anger growing.

"There you go again, always insulting him at any chance you get."

"You were never that kind about Vivian either. I think I'm allowed to slag off your boyfriend."

"Calling Vivian an idiotic airhead is hardly on the same level as calling my boyfriend psychopathic." Gwen says, her voice also filling with anger.

"We're best friends, Gwen." Arthur says, studying her. "I deserved to know."

"Well next time I decide to move in with someone, you'll be first on my list of people to tell." Gwen replies dryly.

"Oh, fuck off." Arthur stands up, unable to take Guinevere's remarks. Feeling guilty, Gwen grabs Arthur's hand, holding him back.

"I'm sorry, Arthur." She says, smiling softly.

"When do you move in?" He asks, a forced smile on his face.

"Tonight. Most of my stuff is already at his." Arthur nods.

"Does Elyan know?"

"Yeah, he's fine with it, and even if he wasn't. He can hardly stop me." Arthur laughs at Gwen's retort.

"Oooh. Rebel." He replies sarcastically. Guinevere punches his arm affectionately. She looks up at Arthur, getting lost in his eyes momentarily. Shaking herself out of the daze, she moves back from him.

"I should get going. Gotta study." Arthur nods, smiling at Gwen, still worried for her. He watches as she walks off, his eyes fixated on her. She's got her tied up. He hates her hair up. Staring at her neck, he notices a red mark on it; a frown plagues his face as he begins thinking the worst.

"That fucking cunt." He says, kicking the chair next to him. "That abusive fucking cunt." He continues repeatedly kicking the chair as Guinevere disappears into the library. Still kicking the chair, unable to stop, Arthur's anger builds until it becomes almost uncontrollable.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Thanks for the continued feedback. Here's chapter 5. We hear a bit more from Leon. See more of Arthur and Morgana's relationship... and it basically sets up Chapter 6; which should be a more eventful chapter. Feedback, as always, is forever appreciated. Apologies for any typos, quick proof read.**

**Chapter 5**

Uther was back from Wales, just in time for Morgana's birthday. Under any other circumstances, Morgana would be thrilled at the prospect of her father finally being able to make her birthday, but she really didn't want him ruining her birthday plans. It was going to be a big 21st birthday bonanza, or so she wishes, either way; Morgana knew that her father turning up would mean him trying to plan the whole thing and ultimately end up ruining it. Arthur wasn't doing his best to reassure her either.

"He'll probably shorten the curfew by an hour." He says, trying to calm his now panicked sister down. "So the party can still go on till about 11am. That's not that bad, right?" He continues, creating the invites on a photo editing software, his eyes fully focused on his laptop screen.

"I'm going to be 21. I shouldn't be having curfews." Morgana wails, slumping down on the sofa next to her brother.

"Well you know father; _"my house, my rules."_Also, he doesn't want you failing your Medicine degree. It's for the best." Arthur replies, still focused on his screen.

"Maybe I should do a Gwen and move out." Morgana replies dryly, Arthur turns to face her, a scowl on his face.

"Oh sorry. I forgot Gwen was still a touchy subject for you." Morgana continues, teasing her little brother. Closing his laptop, Arthur attempts to make his way out. He knew where this conversation was heading, and he just didn't have the strength for it.

"Oh come on, Arthur. I'm only teasing." Morgana whines, throwing a cushion at her brother. He ducks, allowing the cushion to fly over his head before landing on Uther who'd just walked into the living room. Both Arthur and Morgana stare nervously at him.

"Father! You're back." Arthur feigns pleasant surprise. "We weren't expecting you till late tonight, why the change?" Arthur makes his way back to the sofa, taking up his previous seat next to Morgana.

"Finished shooting early, thought I might as well surprise you." Uther replies, a smile on his face.

"Also, Morgana's birthday's coming up, and I thought we could plan something together. Nothing too wild, of course." He continues, much to Morgana's despair. She manages to force a smile as Uther makes his way to the bar, pouring himself a glass of wine. Whilst his back is turned, Morgana raises her head up and begins cursing the heavens, prompting Arthur to laugh smugly at her.

* * *

><p>Gwen was late. Again. Being late was becoming a habit of hers, and it was really beginning to irritate the heck out of Gwaine. Gwen, Gwaine and Leon were meant to be working on a presentation together and so far, the work hadn't been distributed evenly.<p>

"She's late." Leon says, his head flat on the table. Gwaine grabs him by the collar pulling him up.

"At this rate, we'll never get the presentation done." Leon continues, checking the time on his phone.

"I'm sure she has a good reason." Gwaine replies, his face worried.

"Hm. Let's just hope it doesn't involve the word 'David'."

"What did you say about David?" Gwen's voice calls from behind. Leon turns to face her, an awkward smile on his face.

"Gwen! You're here!"

"Yeah, sorry I'm late." She takes a seat next to Gwaine before taking some books out of her handbag.

"Don't worry. We're used to it." Leon replies dryly.

"Leon, do you have something to say?" Gwen's anger grows. Leon had been making digs at her concerning her relationship with David for the past week, and she was beginning to find him irksome.

"Nope. Nothing." Leon pauses. "Just that, you really need to work on your organisation skills." He replies, a feigned smile on his face. Gwaine stares at both his friends.

"Guys, let's not fight." He says softly.

"I'm not fighting. I'm just offering her friendly advice. You can't keep turning up late to every presentation meeting we plan. It was understandable at first, but now, well now it's beginning to worry me." Leon says, his voice gaining in confidence. Gwaine rubs his palms over his face. _Why couldn't Leon just shut up?_

"Well, sorry. I'll try to arrive right on the dot next time. It's not my fault I have a life." Gwen says, her voice also more confident. Leon laughs at her reply.

"Life? We barely ever see you. What kind of life is that?"

"Leon!" Gwaine interjects. "Gwen, what Leon means is... we really want to get this presentation done, and you turning up late to every meeting isn't really all that productive. That's all." Gwen nods at Gwaine, understanding his point of view.

"Now, have you written about the structure of Paradise Lost, Gwen?" Leon asks, picking up his pen as he begins jotting down notes. Gwen sighs heavily.

"No. I completely forgot." She replies back, her voice reluctant. Leon struggles to hide his frustration.

"Don't worry. I can do that." Gwaine mutters quickly, sharing a look with Leon.

"I'm sorry. I'm just finding it hard to keep on top of things." Gwen continues, her voice filled with remorse.

"It's fine, Gwen. Just try and catch up in time for our next meeting." Leon rolls his eyes at Gwaine's response. _Why on earth does he keep babying her? She's not 5._

* * *

><p>The birthday bash had been planned, and much to Morgana's surprise, it wasn't that terrible. Uther had allowed her a 1am curfew and promised to be out of the house for the duration of the party. Even Arthur could barely believe it. Uther is usually the <em>Mr. Protective, No Boys till you're 40<em>type. It's a miracle that he was, 1, letting Morgana use the house as a party venue and 2, letting Morgana have more male guests than female ones. Maybe he'd bumped his head whilst in Wales.

"Don't invite David." Arthur peers over Morgana as she begins writing names on a piece of paper titled 'Guests'. Morgana rolls her eyes at Arthur's comment before continuing to write David's surname.

"Arthur, there is a reason why Gwen has been avoiding you." Morgana says, a wicked smile on her face.

"Gwen's not avoiding me." Arthur replies, his voice defensive.

"I'm sure."

"She isn't."

"If you insist." The sarcasm in Morgana's voice grows.

"She isn't!"

"Oh of course. That explains why she's not answering your calls, ignoring your texts and always seems to walk the other way when she sees you around Uni." Morgana continues, her sarcasm begins to irritate her brother.

"She walks the other way when she sees me?" Arthur asks, the hurt in his voice growing.

"Yep. She knows what you're like."

"And what am I like?"

"Overbearing." Morgana says, smiling at Arthur.

"I am not."

"If believing that makes you happy." Morgana puts the pen down, her guest list done. "Anyway, Gwen won't come unless I invite David, you know that."

Arthur's silent.

"You're right. That doesn't mean that I won't stop wanting him to get run over by a bus." He replies, picking up his bag as he makes his way out.

* * *

><p>"Just got a text from Morgana. She's having a birthday bash this coming Thursday." Leon says, staring at his phone. "Did you guys get one?" Gwaine and Gwen both take their phones out as they begin checking their messages.<p>

"No."

"Yes." Gwen pauses, as she turns to face Gwaine. "Gwaine, you didn't get one?"

"No." Gwaine's face begins to fill with disappointment. "That bitch!"

"To be fair, she always did find you a bit annoying, mate." Leon says laughing. Gwaine glares at his friend. "Are you gonna go?" Leon turns to ask Gwen. She nods softly, trying her best not to rub her invite in Gwaine's face.

"Great. I hope you all have fun, and by fun, I mean get alcohol poisoning." Gwaine says sarcastically. Gwen's phone vibrates again. It's Arthur calling. Leon notices.

"Aren't you going to answer that?"

"Yeah... of course." Gwen replies reluctantly. She answers the phone, a forced smile on her face. She really didn't want to speak to Arthur. She'd heard about the rumours he'd supposedly been spreading; the ones about David abusing her.

"Hello, Arthur."

"Gwen!" Arthur almost screams down the phone. He wasn't expecting her to actually pick up.

"What's up? I'm kinda busy. I'm having a group meeting." Gwen says, her voice cold. Arthur notices the unpleasant tone to her voice and frowns to himself.

"I was just wondering if you'd be coming to Morgan's party." He says slowly.

"Yep."

"Well, that's good." Arthur pauses, struggling to articulate his thoughts. "I can't wait to see you... talk to you properly."

"Same."

"Guinevere, have I upset you?" Gwen ponders Arthur's question, she notices Leon and Gwaine's eyes both fixed on her as they listen to her and Arthur's conversation. Feeling uncomfortable, she leaves the table for some privacy.

"No, you haven't upset me." Gwen eventually replies.

"Good. That's the last thing I'd ever want to do. I care about you, you know that, don't you?"

"I know."

"I only want what's best for you." Arthur continues.

"I understand."

"I know sometimes I may come across as... overbearing, but that's the last thing I want to be." Gwen laughs a little at Arthur's honesty.

"You _are_ pretty overbearing." She retorts.

"So I've been told." Arthur says dryly, a soft smile on his face.

"Well... I should be going now."

"Okay, bye, Guinevere." Arthur pauses briefly. "And... look after yourself, okay?"

"Okay."

"Promise me you'll look after yourself." Arthur persists.

"I promise, Arthur."


End file.
